I am new to this forum and College Confidential. I am a junior in high school. I am getting ready to start planning for the college application process. First thing I would like to know is : 1) When to start asking for teachers’ recommendations, and, 2) How to choose teachers to get the recommendation and what to tell them to get a great a great recommendation?
PS: I am a great student but have never been a teachers’ pet (kind of have a shy personality).
It’s great to think about this now - before every senior starts hitting up teachers in the fall. Both of my sons asked for letters of rec at the end of their Jr. years or very early in their Sr. years.
Some schools have requirements determining which teachers you would ask. My son in engineering needed recs from math/science teachers specifically. Typically you want at least one letter of rec from a teacher along the lines of your major. You don’t need to be a teachers’ pet to be well liked by a teacher. They recognize hard work, even if you don’t always get the A. When you do ask for a letter though you need so specifically ask for “an excellent letter of recommendation” or something similar. You want a sincere letter from a teacher who truly sees your potential. Most teachers will tell you if they aren’t going to give you an excellent referral but some may choose to write a mediocre letter - and you don’t want that.
@smak170 Thanks! That means when I write an email or meet them to ask for it, I should upfront tell them that I am looking for an excellent letter of recommendation. I am planning to go for computer science/engineering.
Best to ask in person. You can follow up with an email that provides some helpful information (current class schedule, application essay topic, list of schools.) Check on alma maters of your teachers. Many recommendations are submitted electronically but there are still some that must be mailed. Provide an addressed and stamped envelope if that is the case.
I agree, ask in person. Also, check with your guidance counselor if they have a process in place. At our HS, students were required to ask in person by the end of Junior Year and then follow up with an official request through Naviance (a website your school may or may not use). Then, they were to follow up again in the fall of Senior Year with a list of each college they were applying to to remind the teacher.
It’s a good idea to ask for at least two in major subjects and try to ask someone who knows you a little bit.
@Oregon2016 Thanks! I will start narrowing down on the teachers and talk to them personally.
@Fishnlines29 Sure, I will talk to the guidance counselor about the website. I am planning to ask my Ap comp science and Finance teachers. I have won Scholastic Art and writing awards (Gold Key) twice, I was thinking about asking my AP English teacher.
Should I ask the mentors/people I volunteer for outside school for the recommendations? I am not sure how much that would help though. I was planning to go for medicine which is why I had volunteered in junior volunteer program at local hospital, youth leader for March of Dimes, capstone projects are on medical and so on…But now I am more interested in computer science program. My volunteer or community service experience is not in this field. Will that hurt my application?
Generally, most schools will allow one non-academic recommendation. You can submit an outside rec through this, but only submit one.
Colleges are more interested in reading (and hearing if interviewed) how those volunteer/extracurricular experiences shaped you and what in the future your take away is from those experiences. Be careful not to rely on recommendations to tell your story.
Some of the well liked teachers will be asked early. They will often have limits as to how many they will write. So, it’d good to ask early. But, don’t expect them to do the recommendation until the Fall. A lot of schools have a protocol for writing and turning in the letters. This past Fall the common app wasn’t even ready for them until September.
@yonceonhismouth Thanks!
Both of my kids lined up their recommenders at the end of their junior year (around May or so). Words you might use are something like “would you be willing to write a positive recommendation for my college applications?” If they agree the next question is to ask if “there is anything I can provide to help you write the recommendation?” (ex. a resume, list of activities etc.). Try to find teachers who can of course talk to your academic strengths and, if possible, teachers who can also speak to some positive personal traits…
And yes, you can generally send one supplemental recommendation. Don’t send more than one so choose carefully. Be sure the supplemental recommendation can tell the admissions officers something different from what the teachers can write.